


Agreements

by alafaye



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-06
Updated: 2011-12-06
Packaged: 2017-10-27 00:18:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/289485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin's been avoiding Arthur ever since the announcement; Arthur's determined to find out why.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Agreements

**Author's Note:**

> Written as a gift piece for opie_black.

Arthur frowned as he watched Merlin flit around the room, smiling and laughing and talking. Or he was when someone was looking. When there wasn't, Merlin looked troubled. It wasn't the first time Arthur had noticed, of course. Arthur didn't want to say it started when his engagement to Gwen had been announced, but he had noticed it then. When Arthur had raised his glass and called for quiet, Merlin looked nervous and excited. He was smiling and his usual energetic self. But then Arthur had made the announcement and Merlin's face had fallen. He looked at Gwen, then Arthur, and then disappeared from view.

Ever since, Arthur had been unable to find a moment to talk to Merlin. He'd seen the wizard talking with the knights, some of his closet friends, and even sometimes Gwen. But whenever Arthur was close, Merlin seemed to just disappear. (He had thought that Merlin was, just into thin air, but he had seen what happened when Merlin tried and that was definitely something Merlin couldn't do.)

"You need to talk to him," Gwen said.

Arthur blinked. "What?" He set his glass down and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He kissed her forehead.

"Merlin--you need to talk to him," she said. "I think he's got the wrong idea."

"About what?" Arthur asked.

"Us," she said. She looked around and pushed him back into an alcove. "I don't think he understands."

He brushed away a lock of her hair from her face. "He knew about this--we always talked about it before."

"Arthur," she began only to stop. She licked her lips and sighed. "Did you talk about it or did you joke around?"

"Well, I--" He shook his head. "He knows, Gwen. I know he does."

She shook her head. "Talk to him."

"I can't." He looked out to find Merlin and found him talking with Lancelot. "He's been running away from me."

"And that's why you need to talk to him," she said. "Soon. Not just before the wedding or during or after. Now, Arthur."

"When Merlin doesn't want to be around me, he's very good at it," Arthur said. "It was how I always knew he was doing something he wasn't supposed to. Always underfoot until I needed him." He shook his head fondly. "So if he's avoiding me, he's done something wrong."

"No, you have," Gwen said. "This time, it's your fault, Arthur."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, turning back to her. "I am seriously in the dark here."

"Always so dense," she said furiously.

"If I can get a moment with him, I'll talk to him," Arthur promised.

She nodded firmly. "Thank you."

~~~

Luckily, it was the end of the night when Arthur finally got his chance. Merlin had his back turned to the room, helping the servants tidy up a bit--ever helpful--and Arthur grabbed his hand.

"What--Arthur? What are you doing?" Merlin asked frantically.

"Getting you alone," Arthur said. He dragged the wizard to his rooms and bolted the door. He leaned against it and crossed his arms. "You've been avoiding me."

Merlin fidgeted. "I have not."

"You have," Arthur said. "Running away when you see me coming, always just a corner ahead of me. Pretending to be called away. Pretending to have errands to run."

"I've been busy!" Merlin said.

"So busy that you don't have time for me anymore?" Arthur asked. He was hurt, he realized. He swallowed hard, unsettled by the sense of wrong that settled in his chest as the knowledge sunk in. He didn't want to think about how much he loved Merlin or how much it hurt that Merlin had been avoiding him. "Why?"

"I told you I've been busy!" Merlin said. "You have to believe me."

"You were never busy before!"

"Because you had me doing your every whim!"

"So now that I don't need you--oh." Arthur blinked. "Is that it? Do you think that when I marry Gwen, I won't need you anymore? I do, Merlin! And if I had to make you my servant again to prove it, I will!"

"I don't want to be!" Merlin's hands curled into fists and the fire jumped higher.

"I can move your rooms here!" Arthur said. "I can say I may need to consult you on important matters and no one will think twice about it."

"I like my rooms where they are!"

"Why are you being so difficult about this? What's wrong?"

"Why do you care?"

Arthur blinked. "What?"

Merlin sniffed. "I thought...you're getting married, Arthur. To Gwen."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "So?"

"Marriage isn't a joke, Arthur! It's very serious, especially for you, and you can't just...you have to accept what it means."

Arthur was lost. "What are you talking about?" He stepped closer to Merlin, hands reaching out.

Merlin tilted his head back and sighed. "Marriage is for two--a man and a woman. No one else. No thirds or fourths."

"I would never ask you to join Gwen and I," Arthur said.

"Good." Merlin rubbed his nose. "Glad we got that sorted. Can I go now?"

"We're not done here."

"I am." Merlin's eyes were cold and Arthur flinched when they looked at him. Without another word, Merlin left. Arthur leaned against the table and wondered what just happened.

~~~

"I'm more confused than ever," Arthur told Gwen the next day. "I have no idea what is going on inside his head."

"Men," Gwen muttered. "Have you even thought about what he said? He told you what he thought and felt and you've just missed it."

"I know it's about our marriage," Arthur said. "I got that, thanks."

"He's a romantic, Arthur," Gwen said. "Fairy tales and happy endings and all that. To him, marriage is sacred, even among the royals and courtiers. It's not about money or land--it's about love."

"So? I know he's a romantic--stupidly, but he is. I still don't understand why he's acting like this."

"Because he thinks you're marrying me for love," Gwen said.

"I am," Arthur said. "So I can have an heir for my people and still have him."

"Oh, Arthur," Gwen said softly. "That's not the love I'm talking about. He thinks you love me and that's why we're getting married. And I mean that you love me as they all think you do."

Arthur blinked. "What?"

Gwen growled. "Arthur! I swear--you have had too many hits on your head! Merlin thinks that you love me, not him!"

"But I do love him," Arthur said. "And yeah, I love you, just differently."

She shook her head. "Arthur--he thinks you don't love him!"

Silence fell and Arthur's mind put together the pieces. "He thinks that?"

"Yes, you idiot! He thinks you've gone and fallen out of love with him. He thinks you love me and that's why you're marrying me."

Arthur wondered where the idiot got that idea. "I have to find him."

"Good luck. After last night, you'll be lucky to ever see him again."

"He wouldn't leave Camelot--he loves it here."

"Focus, Arthur. Go find him. Now!"

~~~

A week passed and just as Arthur knew, Merlin was good at not being found. Eventually, though, as usual, Merlin misstepped and Arthur finally got a moment alone with him. He kept a tight hold on him as he dragged them to a hidden hallway.

"Now, you are going to listen to me without interrupting," Arthur told him.

"I have errands to run," Merlin protested. "Gaius--"

"Can wait. I need you to listen." Arthur pinned Merlin by his skinny wrists. "I am not marrying Gwen for love. I'm not."

Merlin stopped struggling. "What?"

"I don't love her," Arthur said. "Well, I do, but as a friend. And she's the only one I know who could do this. Who wants to. I can't imagine asking anyone else."

Merlin cocked his head. "Asking her to do what?"

"Well, she's in love with Lancelot and I'm in love with you," Arthur said.

Merlin flushed. "Wait--what? You--"

Arthur kissed him and oh, that was good. He could do that forever. "I do need an heir, Merlin. And the only one the Church will accept is one I sire on my wife. It's the only way that my son will inherit the throne. But I could never dream of giving you up. Never."

"So you're only marrying Gwen for a baby?" Merlin asked. "That's not fair!"

"She understands," Arthur said. "And so does Lancelot."

"They should be able to marry each other!" Merlin said.

"They don't want to," Arthur said. "There's a lot there that I don't even understand, but I was discussing this with Lancelot. How I would love to marry you, but can't because I need a legal heir. And though he wants to marry Gwen, there's still so much he has to do beyond Camelot. He doesn't want to leave her in their home and never know if she'll ever see him again. He wants to know at least that she'll be cared for and supported."

"So that's it then? You marry her for the heir and you each have a...lover on the side? It won't work, Arthur! Someone will see, will find out!"

"They won't," Arthur said. "Not if we're careful. And we will be--we will."

"But--"

"Trust me, Merlin."

"Arthur--"

"Trust me."

~~~

"Gwen!"

Gwen turned. "Yes, Merlin?"

He stumbled to a halt in front of her. "I just talked with Arthur."

"And?" She hoped that they had worked it out, though it was a faint kind of hope. They both had been dense lately.

"Can I talk to you?" He looked around the hallway as though for a private place to talk.

She nodded and led them to her own rooms. "Did he explain everything?"

He frowned. "Yeah. I just--I don't understand. How are you okay with this? What about Lancelot? Don't you two want to get married?"

She set down the flowers she had been out picking. "I would love to, but it isn't mean to be. Lancelot isn't meant to be chained down to anyone, let alone a family. He has a destiny beyond here."

"So you're just going to let him go?" Merlin looked confused.

"Sometimes, you have to let your loved ones go," she said. She cupped his cheek in her hand. "I will still have him, when he is here in Camelot. But when he isn't here--why shouldn't I do something? Marrying Arthur means I have something to do. I'll be the mother to the future king and the accepted consort of Arthur."

"Duty," Merlin said.

She nodded. "Yes. It's a good life, Merlin. I'm happy to do this."

"So you and Lancelot want this?" Merlin asked. "You aren't doing it just because Arthur asked you to?"

"He didn't," she said with a small smile. "I came up with the idea. I discussed it with Lancelot and he loved it. We approached Arthur and he accepted it."

Merlin sighed. "It just doesn't seem right."

"It is the best for all of us," she said. "If he were to marry anyone else, she would never accept you and him together. She would demand that he sleep with her and only her. She would have that right. I'm giving up the right to it. Because I love Lancelot and Arthur loves you."

~~~

Arthur unlocked the door in the bedroom and then slipped out the one on the other side of the room. Behind him, he thought he could hear Gwen dressing, but didn't pay too much attention. He raised an eyebrow at the tub of water waiting by the fireplace. "What's this?"

"I may have agreed to...this," Merlin said. "But I refuse to let you sleep here after..." He waved his hand. "Take a bath first."

Arthur sighed and undressed. As he slipped into the bath, he sighed. "How long as you going to be weird about this?"

"For as long as I want to be," Merlin said. "I do have the right, you know."

Arthur shrugged and Merlin took a seat by the tub. "It's not right. It's your wedding night and you've just left your new wife. Aren't you supposed to enjoy hours of sex with her?"

"I made sure to bolt the door on the room," Arthur said. "No one will know." He looked at Merlin pointedly. "Now, I think you should join me."

Merlin wrinkled his nose. "I'd rather not. Get cleaned up and then join me in bed."

"Oh, now I like that plan."

Merlin threw him a wicked smile full of promise. "Then you better hurry up."


End file.
